St. Landry democrat., 1887-01-29
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, Jan. Is, 1881

State Commerce bill, which is tn
result of o popular movemen
beginning twenty years ago
marks the past week in Congress
There was q good deal OF importan
legislation besides this, however
such as that giving the Agriculture
Department Executive Importance
and it's chief o seat in the Cabinet
that extirpating the hierarchy al
Salt Lake City, and that doubling
the militia appropriation for the
year. This last act will, doubtless
be well received everywhere; fol-
the time has come when it is &C.
knowledged that the citizen soldiery
OF the land ought to receive more
attention than has even yet been
shown them.
1t was expected that the Senate
would settle the vexed question of
Commerce by Railroads as it did,
about the hour of midnight OH Fri
day, but no one knew how many
more Senators would be found sup
porting than opposing the bill. 1t
came triumphantly through by a
vote OF forty three to fifteen, al
though q number of Senators who
voted for the measure were dissatis-
fed with it. These decided to set
aside their own views and follow
the dictates of their constituents,
saying III this instance, where legis-
lation is necessarily experimental,
it is safe to give the people the
benefit Of the doubt.
The Interstate Commerce bill was
framed and pressed forward by
men who were mostly honest in
their effort to relieve the people,
but there are good many legisla-
tors who doubt its efficacy. Some
say the railroads will put up their
through freights instead of reduc-
ing their way freights, and thus in
sure the equality which the law
demands.
Now that the Anti Mormon bill
has been passed by the House, one
hears a good many comments
which Indicate an appreciation Of
the severity of the measure. 1t
not only makes polygamy a felony.
but dissolves the financial corpora
tons known as the Latter Day
Saints and the Perpetual Emigra-
ton Fund Company, and practical
ly abolishes all the machinery, reli
sious or political, that is now en-
ployed directly or indirectly in the
maintenance of the Mormon
Church system. There are differ
ences OF opinion as to the wisdom
and justice Of the policy, but the
friends of the measure just passed
assume that the malady is Of such
a terrible nature as to require hero
ic treatment. It's opponents say it
would be better to await upon the
slow attritions of time and the pres
IRE of public opinion to wear the
evil out.
The Republicans pledged them
selves to eradicate polygamy in
1886, more than thirty years ago.
They held power for nearly quar-
ter OF a century and as Mormonism
still fourishes it is left for the
Democrats to perform duty which
the Republicans neglected or else
could not do. Of course every
body desires that the twin relic
Of Darbarism' shall be destroyed, if
it can be done without straining
the Constitution. Hon. Randolph
Tucker of Va, who reported the
Anti Mormon bill, held that there
was nothing in it that could hurt
Jhe conscience even of a Mormon.
If he thought there was, he said
ne would vote against it.
The State reception at the White
House on Thursday evening was
gorgeous in the gold lace of the
guests of honor, the Diplomatic
Jorps, with music, gaslight, flowers
md palms on every side, a crush of {
1chly costumed women and q (
crowd Of famous men, many of |
hem u, brilliant uniforms. Beside
he official world of the Capital, !
Ibout sixty persons in private life t
we're invited to the reception. t
Amons these was noticed Mrs. t
crank Leslie, and it was difficnlt to t
eclde whether she or Mrs. Stan a
ord, the wife OF the Senator from a
wore the largest or the II
nest or the greatest number of q
iamonds. .
The Marine band which furnishes a